Book Review: Red Bones by Ann Cleeves

Hi! This review doesn't contain any spoilers so please read on! 

As part of my Reading Challenge, I ended up scouring the Amazon Kindle deals and buying pretty much any book that was less than £1.99 and had more than a 4 star review (which is actually ALOT of books...) to try and ramp up my chances of reading my goal of 25 books. I probably have already read that many in 2015 so far, but I only started the challenge a few months back.

I didn't really need any more books as my shelves are full with ones I've not touched since buying [please tell me you all do this too??] but seeings as I was going travelling I prefer to take my Kindle and save on some kilos of luggage.

This book is actually the last instalment of Cleeves' Shetland Quartet, I haven't read the others but I don't actually think the stories all entwine. As far as a mystery novel goes, it was pretty lacking, I didn't actually find myself that concerned or excited to find out 'who done it', I found myself more getting wrapped around the characters of Sandy, Perez & Joseph, trying to unscramble their own views and opinions of what happened.

Saying all of the above though, and quite contradictory, once I had actually found out who did it did shock me and I had to read the paragraph a couple of times to get my head around it!

I think if you're into mystery novels, or the idea of death and detective novels then this one is worth a read; its quite short so isn't going to take up all of your time reading it and isn't an awful story line.

Overall, I'd probably give it 3 stars out of 5, so very was okay... but could be better.

Have you read this? Did you think the same or total opposite to me? Please let me know!!

Book Review: Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

 

 

Firstly, I apologise for my photography.. It's the one thing I hate about blogging the most, I hate taking photos of objects, they're boring and inanimate.

 

As part of my Reading Challenge, I've recently finished Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. Gillian is probably known more for Gone Girl, a book which I really enjoyed. Dark Places is written from 3 alternate view points, in a diary style.

 

'Libby Day was seven when her mother and two sisters were murdered in “The Satan Sacrifice of Kinnakee, Kansas.” As her family lay dying, little Libby fled their tiny farmhouse into the freezing January snow. She lost some fingers and toes, but she survived–and famously testified that her fifteen-year-old brother, Ben, was the killer. Twenty-five years later, Ben sits in prison, and troubled Libby lives off the dregs of a trust created by well-wishers who’ve long forgotten her.

The Kill Club is a macabre secret society obsessed with notorious crimes. When they locate Libby and pump her for details–proof they hope may free Ben–Libby hatches a plan to profit off her tragic history. For a fee, she’ll reconnect with the players from that night and report her findings to the club… and maybe she’ll admit her testimony wasn’t so solid after all.

As Libby’s search takes her from shabby Missouri strip clubs to abandoned Oklahoma tourist towns, the narrative flashes back to January 2, 1985. The events of that day are relayed through the eyes of Libby’s doomed family members–including Ben, a loner whose rage over his shiftless father and their failing farm have driven him into a disturbing friendship with the new girl in town. Piece by piece, the unimaginable truth emerges, and Libby finds herself right back where she started–on the run from a killer.' (http://gillian-flynn.com/dark-places/)

I never imagined that I would be able to read something so dark, and quite gruesome, but actually I really enjoyed this. I finished this in less than a week, reading it at every opportunity, but finishing each chapter then leaving it a while to truly allow the story line to sink in.

This book is definitely worth a read if you enjoy mystery novels, but definitely a great over all, all genre read. I never really felt any sympathy for Libby, which I find incredible considering all that's gone on, I didn't actual feel sympathy for any of the characters, even Ben Day who'd been locked in prison for the past 15 years. Flynn has this way with the character build that you care enough to keep reading and really want to follow the characters lives, but at the same time you don't pity them because of what's happened. It seems almost, normal, what happened & how the characters act.. It's very odd!


Have you read any of Gillian Flynn's books? Will you being giving Dark Places a read? Let me know!

I'm reading Caroline Kepnes' 'YOU' next, have you read this? Is it a good read? No spoilers please!